Tightrope Walker
by blueyedragon09
Summary: Just my own story, mostly about my own character, Xavia. I don't know if it's any good, this is my first fanfiction, so PLEASE REVIEW! sorry, but, I really wanna' know what others think. THANKS!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Circus**

Xavia waited behind the curtain for her time to go into the spotlight on the tightrope. The earth kingdom crowd cheered loudly for the act before her own. She had performed her act hundreds of times it seemed. What was once foreign to her was now an auto skill. She knew well what she was to do, but every time before a show Xavia was nervous. She felt the heavy shackles, binding her hands to the post, rattle against the bones in her wrist. She knew that with effort she could break free of the chains by slipping her small hand through the metal bindings, but she dared not try, for she knew what the punishment would be.

Her time to go on was drawing nearer, the crowd was silenced as the ringmaster of the earth kingdom circus went on to introduce her. The guard stepped near and undid the shackles, but held his hand firmly on her shoulder to keep her in place. The announcement was made and she stepped out cautiously onto the high up post. Then slowly, one foot after the other, she stepped onto the rope, not daring to look down, or at the audience who stared, waiting. Xavia now stood center on the rope, perfectly still, arms held out horizontally to keep her balance, but without warning she placed them at her sides and jumped into the air and twisted around, landing on the rope, now facing the other way. She repeated this. Once in position Xavia stretched out one of her legs behind, and extended the opposite arm in front of her. Slowly moving forward so her body made a straight horizontal line. And in a small burst of flame Xavia was back in her starting position on the center of the rope, the audience awed. She lifted her hands and produced another small ball of fire and passed it between each hand. With every pass the ball stretched and she would increase her movement. Now she was twirling on the rope with a large ring of fire surrounding her. Some of the audience cheered, while others booed, and threw things in the direction of the young firebending girl on a tightrope.

In one final burst of flame Xavia vanished, all of the audience cheered now, some more vigorously than others. Xavia was back behind the curtain, peeking through and looking down upon the audience and the ringleader reassuring the audience that the 'amazing firebending girl' was harmless and that the earthkingdom had not a reason to fret. What he failed to mention was that she was a prisoner and was now being escorted down and out of the main tent where she would just be put in another tent which housed the animals and bound to a post.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Gaang Sees A Show**

"Hey, look at this guys," Water tribe warrior Sokka said while passing a bulletin board with many advertisement posters. Aang, Katara and Toph all stopped to see what he was talking about

"A circus?" Katara sounded unsure, "I don't know guys, I don't think we really have the time to stop and see a show"

"Why not Katara? We all could use a break. It won't take that much time." Aang piped up cheerily despite recent events. They had just left Ba Sing Se and had found a safe place for the Earth King and his pet bear, Basco, to hide untill some things had cleared up. They were now searching for a firebending teacher for Aang.

"Oh sure, let's go see a show," Toph said sarcastically, waving her hand in front of her face like she had several times before, "Maybe someone will sing."

"I suppose it won't hurt too much then, It's only a couple of hours right?" Katara still sounded unsure but she knew she had been outnumbered.

"Right!" Aang sounded excited now, "and look! There are acrobats, animals, sword swallowers, earthbenders and tightrope walkers! Sounds great!"

Toph stood with her arms folded, "greeeaaat,"

"Well lets get a move on then," Sokka started to walk forward, "we don't want to miss all of the good seats."

When they arrived there was already a large crowd. When they had bought their tickets they joined the crowd and pushed through to get seats. They sat about half way up in the center of the risers. Surrounded by hundreds of spectators, conversation was useless; all of their talk was drowned out by the voices of everyone else trying to raise their volume above everyone else. So they just sat silently waiting for the show to begin.

They had not sat there for long when a man in dark green and gold robes stepped into the center of the tent and raised his hands motioning for silence. When the crowd had finally quieted he spoke up, "Thank you all for coming to our humble show! I assure you that your money has been spent well and you will not be disappointed! But now I will introduce our first act! The blade swallowing woman!" Applause broke out and the woman appeared bringing a table with a variety of blades and swords on top.

The group watched the show in amazement. Toph listened. They saw the blade swallowing woman, the moose-lion tamer, the boar-q-pine wrestler, an unusual performance of earth bending, and now the acrobatics stunts were nearly completed. When they were finished and the noise of the cheers had died down the ringleader stepped into the ring again to announce the next act, "Next we have our amazing tightrope walker! Do not be frightened! She has never fallen before, but don't look away! You don't want to miss any of her tricks! Watch closely!" with this he stepped out of the ring.

Automatically all of the eyes in the crowd turned upward toward the high posts of the tightrope. A thin girl no more than thirteen years old stepped out onto the rope. The entire crowd was hushed, holding their breath for there was no net beneath rope.

Aang watched closely as the ringleader had instructed, so far nothing too amazing had happened. The girl in lose fitting, plain black, robes was now in the center of the rope. He had gasped in surprise when he saw that sudden spark as she changed positions. But now she was creating even more fire, "She's a firebender," he whispered almost inaudibly to no one in particular. Then with one more great flash she was gone, leaving only a small trail of smoke heading up the top of the tent, and the smell of sulfur. He exchanged glances with Katara, and while the crowd cheered and booed, their small group just sat there, staring and wondering.

The ringleader came back out, and noticing the surprised faces of most in the crowd, "I assure you, there is nothing to fear! Though she is a firebender, she is not dangerous, the earth kingdom as well as the rest of the world are safe from this firebender! And now, on to our last act, behold, the elephant-rhino, turtle-duck dance!"

The gang watched the final act with little interest. Especially Toph who had become greatly bored. The others were still busy thinking about the strange firenation girl. Aang had noticed that she had greatly avoided looking at the audience, and did not seem very happy at all. He couldn't help but question the reasons of her being there.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Punishment**

Xavia sat quietly on the cold dirt floor, hands bound tightly behind a post in the animal tent. In front of her she stared at an old lame ostrich-horse who was busy munching on some cabbage. Looking over to the entrance of the tent she heard voices and footsteps approaching. The show must be nearly over.

She dropped her gaze and looked to the floor when the animal tamer and the circus manager entered the tent. They gave her only one look of disapproval before continuing on with their business.

"This ostrich-horse is old and lame, it should be disposed of," the manager, Shan-Yu, commented emotionless.

"It is getting healthier, sir," the animal tamer argued, "we could use it as a pack animal."

"We don't need another pack animal," Shan-Yu's voice increased in volume, "we have enough pack animals, we need performing animals, this one is just taking up space."

"But sir…"

"Enough! Do as you are told, no more arguing! Get rid of this beast!" his voice had become cruel.

"Yes, sir." He made his way toward the cage, fingering a large key ring with several different keys, the ostrich horse was finished with it's cabbage and was laying on the bottom of the cage grunting with satisfaction at it's full belly.

"Wait!" Xavia spoke up suddenly, "Please sir, I'll take care of it. It is getting healthier please don't hurt it!" she was pleading.

Shan-Yu turned slowly and looked down upon Xavia, "you dare question my orders?" he spoke quietly, anger could be heard through the harshness of the words, 'what gives you the right to make decisions around here scum?"

Xavia realized her mistake, "sir, forgive me, I didn't mean to…"

"You didn't mean to speak of issues that are none of your concern? Open your mouth when you were not spoken to?" his voice was raised, "I'm sure you didn't. Five lashes."

The animal tamer stopped where he stood, not daring to look down to the whip at his belt.

"Have you become deaf!?" San-Yu turned on him, "Five lashes I said. Get to it!"

The animal trainer still made no move, "sir, please don't make-"

"Do you wish for the same punishment? Five lashes now!"

Solemnly the trainer found the correct key and undid Xavia's shackles and pulled her to her feet, not gently.

"Sir…please…I'm sorry…I…" Xavaia was shaking as two stable hands held her arms around the pole, facing her back to the animal trainer who now had whip in hand

"Ten lashes!" the now infuriated Shan-Yu noted the shocked looks on everyone's faces, "for talking back!"

"Sir! Please no! I'm sorry, I'll never speak out of turn again! I promise!" Xavia was trembling uncontrollably, she had been given lashes before but it was never pleasant.

"Twenty lashes!" Shan-Yu was growing red in the face, a vein in his neck was throbbing.

"Twenty, sir, please, no, that'll kill her!" the trainer was pleading now too. The two stable hands grips became lose with shock, but they instantly held her tightly again. Her thin frame was pressed roughly against the post, awaiting the lashes.

Shan-Yu roughly tore the whip from the hands of the animal trainer, "You get the same when I'm finished with her."

The animal trainer recoiled in fear, Xavia looked back at him with pity, he returned the look as Shan-Yu raised his hand to deliver the first blow.

CRACK. The whip tore through her thin robes, as well as her flesh. It stung like a thousand thorns, but she did not cry out.

CRACK. The second blow was worse, but yet Xavia clenched her teeth and kept her mouth shut.

CRACK. The third intensified the pain of the first two, a small grunt slipped through the lips of the firenation girl, tears of pain fell from her eyes.

CRACK. This time a small moan came from deep within her throat.

CRACK. Xavia gasped for air, the pain had made it difficult to breath.

CRACK. This time, a cry, and tears flooded her face.

The next eight were unbearable, _'fourteen, only six left'_ Xavia thought, hugging the post now only to stay on her feet. The pain and possibly the loss of blood had weakened her greatly. She felt she would faint, all of her energy was used to stay conscious. Her face was soaked with tears and sweat, her eyes were shut tight and her mouth hung open gasping for air and letting out another cry and moan with each blow.

But the fifteenth strike never came, out of nowhere and without warning a strong gust of air had slung Shan-Yu to the other side of the tent.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Circus Grounds**

"That was defiantly a show unlike any other," Katara commented while leaving the tent after the final act.

"Yeah," Aang agreed, "I just can't help but to wonder about that firenation girl, something just didn't seem right."

"I don't know about you all, but I thought it was a great show," Toph was being sarcastic again.

"Come on, lets go look around," Sokka said ducking out of the crowd that was leaving the circus grounds, "maybe we can find something out. I bet we're just over thinking it a little, there is nothing fishy about it."

"I didn't say anything was fishy," Katara looked at Aang, following Sokka.

Aang just shrugged and followed also.

The group passed several tents that appeared just to be the camps of performers and staff. And other tents the were booths for selling souvenirs, but it appeared the merchants had closed for the night. Few people walked around, busing about their jobs, and a few spectators also looked around, commenting on how great the show had been. The smell of food filled the air as they passed a tent that appeared to be where the meals were served. The gang looked inside, many performers were there and even the ringleader, enjoying there suppers and discussing the success of their show, but the firenation girl was no where in sight. They were nearing the end of the circus grounds where the second largest tent was. The smell of animals was very strong here. They quietly moved toward the entrance when they heard a loud cracking noise and the cry of a girl.

"Something isn't right," Toph whispered kneeling down and feeling the ground.

They crept up to the side of the entrance, unseen, they peered inside. What they saw shocked them. A tall man in expansive looking garb held a whip in his hand and the firenation girl was hanging on to a post, blood seeping out through the tears in her clothing.

They stared wide eyed at each other, "we have to do something," Katara was the first to say, though they all were thinking it, "it's not right, they can't do that to her, even if she is firenation."

Aang ran forward and stepped through the entrance, and before anyone could do anything he took his staff and sent a strong current of air toward the man with the whip, sending flying. He landed hard on the opposite side of the tent. The others followed him inside, at the ready in case anyone was to attack.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: A Rocky Encounter**

Although the night was warm Xavia was trembling. The two stable hands who were supporting her backed away and she crumpled to the ground. Tufts of her dark hair had become lose from its tight bun and her large hazel eyes glistened with tears. She sat on the ground arms still hugging the pole, looking at the ground and gasping for air. The fourteen lashes had weakened her greatly and it was all she could do not to faint. But she was curious, what happened? Why did the stable maids recoil in fear?

"What is your problem!?" a voice came from behind her somewhere, it sounded as if from a boy no more than twelve or thirteen years old.

Curious, Xavia turned her head. What she saw surprised her greatly. She saw a bald boy with blue arrows on his head and hands, holding a wooden staff. He was an airbender. He was the avatar. There were three other people with him. A girl about the same age as the monk wearing earthkingdom clothing with dark hair that hung in her face. And two taller ones; a boy and a girl, wearing watertribe clothing, one had a boomerang in hand and the girl had water raised with bending. Xavia wondered why they were there.

She saw Shan-Yu on the other side of the tent; he had landed between the cages of the moose-lion and the platypus-bear. He looked disgruntled and was pulling himself up off the ground. He turned angrily on the group of kids, "and just who do you think you are just walking in my tent like you own the place and knocking me off my feet!?'

"I am the avatar and these are my friends," the boy with the arrows indicated the group of people with him, "and it's not right what you're doing to this person."

"Yes, but Avatar," coldness shone brightly in Shan-Yu's eyes, "she is firenation, and she has misbehaved. I had to punish her."

"Firenation or not," the watertribe girl spoke up, "it is inhumane to treat any human being in this manner."

"She's your prisoner isn't she?" this time it was the watertribe boy, "and you're forcing her to perform aren't you?"

Xavia watched this exchange frightfully; she knew Shan-Yu was in quite a temper, though he wasn't showing it. The animal trainer watched also from within the shadows, and the two stable workers had run from the tent.

"Why, no, no, no," it was obvious Shan-Yu was lying, "we'd never do that, she is our employee, she-"

"Then why beat her?" the earth trembled a very little bit when the earthkingdom girl spoke up, she gazed off in the distance, she appeared to be blind, "If she is your 'employee' why punish her? What did she do wrong?" 

"Well, um- well she-," Shan-Yu mumbled inaudibly, "performer-… animal-… ostrich horse-… firenation-… war-… prisoner…"

"I'm not seeing those being very good reasons," the boy in blue robes folded his arms.

Xavia had forgotten her pain and weakness from the lashes, she was anxious now. Shan-Yu's eyebrows made a deep arch and his lip curled into a sneer, it was obvious that anger coursed thickly through his veins, "and what business is it any of yours?!"

The avatar stepped forward, "it's plenty of our business. It's aiding nothing to the war by holding prisoners and treating them like animals," he pointed his staff at the circus manager.

Shan-Yu got in an earthbending stance, as did the blind girl. Shan-Yu made to earthbend a boulder in the direction of the avatar but he lost his balance and landed on his back as the ground beneath him shifted suddenly. The blind girl had only shifted her foot. As Shan-Yu got up she earthbended a rock the size of an apple at his abdomen. It hit him hard and he stumbled back, shifting his weight through his arms he sent a larger rock at the girl which was turned to dust before it made contact.

Watching this, Xavia hadn't noticed just how terribly she was trembling until her muscles began to cramp for the stress of her holding to tight to the post. She began to feel dizzy but refused to lose consciousness.

The circus manager was infuriated at his inability to take down the young earthbender. He slammed his fist into the ground and sent a tremor running throughout through the whole tent. The girl moved her hands in a smooth motion making a pointing gesture with three of her fingers toward Shan-Yu and three pillars rose from the ground at an angle and slammed him to the other side of the tent again. He got up, entire face read with rage and sweat dripping from his pores. The attempted to make another earthbending move but the girl lifted him up the height of the tent on a pillar and slammed it back into the ground, "had enough?" she said with attitude in her voice, Shan-Yu made no reply, he was unconscious face down in the dirt, "wow, and I thought he would be good."

Out of the shadows walked the trainer who fell to his knees in front of the gang, "Thank you," he said, "this tyrant had been tormenting us for many years now, and yet no one has had the courage to challenge him. He will no longer threaten us as he has been defeated. Thank you."

No one in the group made a reply but just exchanged glances of curiosity and accomplishment. They then turned their attention to Xavia, pale and trembling clasping to the post and battling consciousness. A battle lost, everything faded into darkness.


	6. Chapter 6

1**Chapter 6: Rescue**

"What should we do?" asked Sokka as he bent down behind the post and cut the binds holding tying the girl.

"I don't know," Katara looked to Aang.

"Well, we've got to do something, we can't just leave her," Aang returned Katara's sympathetic look.

"Let's just get her and leave," Toph said, "That guy won't be knocked out for long, we'll figure out what to do later."

They all agreed and Sokka picked up the unconscious firebender, "Wait! What are we doing! She's Firenation!"

"That doesn't matter," Aang stated.

"They've been keeping her prisoner and torturing her," Katara added.

Sokka nodded and followed them from the tent, not looking back to the unconscious circus manager, the animal trainer bowed them out silently. Swiftly they crept through the outskirts of the circus grounds avoiding the tents as much they could. Once they reached the place where Appa and Momo waited they quietly clambered onto the new saddle they had custom made in a small village where they had left the earth king.

They flew westward until the moon was high and they were many leagues from the circus area. They landed on the shore of a lake and made camp. The girl was still unconscious when Katara knelt with her by the water and healed the wounds in her back where she had been whipped. Rummaging through her sack looking for a spare cloak the girl could wear, as her own clothes were ripped where the whip had struck, Katara asked, "what now?"

"Sleep," Sokka said simply laying on top of his sleeping bag, Momo jumped over and curled up on his chest. Appa groaned in agreement.

"Gee, what a concept," Toph also lay down on her sleeping mat.

"I suppose there's nothing much else to do," said Aang making himself comfortable on the ground.

Katara covered the girl in her cloak and unrolled her sleeping bag.

When dawn broke Aang was the first one awake, to find Momo stretched out on his head, he pushed him off and Momo jumped on Katara and Sokka in turn waking them both. Toph woke from the sound of Sokka shouting. They all turned to see that the firenation girl appeared to be asleep, curled up underneath the cloak. Katara went over and bent a drink of water down her throat.

Without warning a cough came from the throat of the firebender as she woke. Groggily she surveyed her surroundings with her large hazel eyes and appeared startled when she noticed the group of people around her.


	7. Chapter 7

1**Chapter 7: What next? **

The glorious morning air felt ghastly to Xavia once she had taken in her surroundings. The lake was breathtaking, and the surrounding forest was just as precious. But when she glanced the concerned faces of for strangers, all else was just scenery as the familiar sensation of fear swept through her body.

The face of a boy, about the same age as her, frightened her most. He was bald and had arrows tattooed on his body, indicating that he was a master airbender. She recognized him at once to be the Avatar.

"It's okay, don't be scared," the kind voice of a girl rang out. It was a girl with a long braid of hair, and blue robes of the waternation.

Xavia made no reply.

"Really, it's okay, e just wanted to get you out of there," the Avatar spoke, "I'm Aang," he added.

"I'm Katara," the girl again, "this is my brother Sokka," she indicated the older boy, also wearing blue watertribe robes, "and this is Toph," now to a girl staring blankly through the bands of her thick black hair, who gave a half-hearted wave.

"Now who are you?!" demanded the boy, Sokka.

"Sokka!" Katara reprimanded

They all looked at Xavia curiously, she didn't know weather to get up and run, or answer, "I-I'm... um..."

"It's okay," said Avatar Aang, "you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Yes, she does!" put in Sokka.

"Ignore him," said the girl Katara, hitting her brother on the head.

"But we'd like to know," the blind girl, Toph said, "we didn't have to save your butt you know."

All fell silent then as Xavia pondered. It was true, "I know," she said finally, "and I thank you. My name is Xavia." she tried not to stutter as tears came to her eyes, recalling the life she had been subjected to, it seemed so unreal to her that this was happening, it felt as if in a dream. But it was too good to be true, and she knew it, she just wasn't sure what would happen next. Would they take her back to that dreadful circus? Force her to return to the firenation? Or would they just leave her?

"Here," Katara handed her a waterskin, "you must be parched."

Cautiously, Xavia accepted, nodded her thanks and took a sip. The cool water ran down her throat smoothly. Her dry tongue gratefully welcomed the moisture and her stomach lurched at the feeling of something being poured into it. She'd not had anything to eat or drink since late the night before last, as the manager of the circus did not award her with nourishment until after a successful show.

When finished drinking, Xavia handed the waterskin back to Katara and suddenly became aware that she didn't feel how she normally would the day after a beating. Twisting around to get a view of her back she noted that where the lashing marks should have been was healed and she was wearing just a cloak. In disbelief she reached behind her and felt the skin, nothing was there, no marks or scars of any kind.

"Oh," said Katara as she reached into a bag and pulled out Xavia's own robes, "I sewed these last night, after I healed your back," and in response to the confused look she received, she added, "I'm a waterbender, I have healing abilities."

Avatar Aang nodded confirmation.

"Why don't you go change back into your clothes while we clean up camp?" suggested Katara, "Then we'll set off."

"You mean..." Xavia knew what was going on, but she felt she needed specifics, as she was still confused as to the motives of the strangers.

"Yes, we'll set off, we can't stay here all day can we? Those horrible circus people will probably be searching for you." said Katara.

"Speaking of circus people," Sokka chimed up, "You have some questions to answer," he pointed an accusing finger toward Xavia.

"Later, Sokka," Said Aang rolling up a blanket, "let's just get flying."

Flying! This was the first time Xavia became aware of a large, furry animal with an arrow on it's head resting on the edge of the forest. She had heard of them, but had believed them to be real, a sky bison.

"That's Appa," the girl Toph spoke, "I hope you're used to being in the air, be glad we got a new saddle."

Truthfully, though Xavia was a used to the high wire, the prospect of flying didn't appeal to her much. As she went behind the trees to change she silently hoped that they would leave without her, but a small part of her wanted to continue with them, for she owed them much, she knew she would have died that night had she let Shan-Yu continue the lashes.


End file.
